The Evil and the Beauty
by elsiecarson
Summary: Pre Movie fic. Jafar tries to woo Jasmine and persuade her father to let them marry.
1. Makes Me Cringe

Jasmine shivers as Jafar approaches her. There is something repulsive and yet intriguing about him. She knows Jafar has made an offer for her hand. He is an ambitious man and marrying Jasmine will fulfil many, if not all, of his ambitions. Jafar is significantly older than she is, in fact, Jasmine can't remember a time when Jafar wasn't working in the palace. He is a rather intimidating figure, but is also a rather alluring figure. Jasmine finds she can be a more intelligent person when she talks to Jafar. He doesn't expect her to agree with his opinions. She can have her own opinions.

"Good morning princess." Jafar says sitting down next to Jasmine on the edge of the fountain in the garden.

"Good morning Jafar. The weather is beautiful today, isn't it? I love being outside on days like this." Jasmine turns towards Jafar and is surprised when she thinks that he looks very handsome in the morning sunshine.

"I don't get to spend enough time outside when the weather is this nice. Where is Rajah this morning? Normally he's with you when you're outside." Jafar asks with concern in his voice.

"He went inside. It was too hot out here for him. I'm perfectly safe out here." Jasmine says honestly.

Jafar sighs heavily. "I have to admit that I worry about you, probably more than I should. I care about you. I don't want any harm to come to you."

Jasmine is startled at Jafar's admission. She thought he was only after the power. To hear that he really cares about her makes her feel hopeful. She covers his hand with hers. "It's alright to care about me. It's nice to hear that from you. I didn't expect that display of emotion from you. I'm proud of you for being honest with me."

"I promise, here and now, that I will always be honest with you, no matter what. I want you to be my wife, Jasmine. I've never been shy about admitting that. I don't want you to feel pressure, but know that I won't give up." Jafar says seriously.

"I don't want you to give up on me, ever. It's just going to take me some time to get used to all of this. It's very new to me." Jasmine says gently.

"I know that. We'll take this slow. Can we have a private lunch, just the two of us? I'd like to get to know you a little better." Jafar requests gently.

"If you would like to have lunch with me I would be glad to do that. I'm honoured that you'd take time out of your busy day to spend time with me. Where shall we have lunch? Would you like an outdoor lunch? I can arrange that if you would like." Jasmine asks sweetly.

"I think an outdoor lunch would be lovely. If you arrange that I will go and get some work done and we can meet back here at lunchtime. It would my pleasure to join you, princess." Jafar picks up Jasmine's hand and kisses the back of it.

"I will make arrangements. I look forward to seeing you later." Jasmine leans forward and kisses Jafar's cheek.

"'Til we meet again princess." Jafar says breathlessly. Princess Jasmine's actions have shocked him and made him very happy.


	2. Father Don't!

Jasmine smiles as Jafar walks away. He has an elegant way of moving that makes her eyes follow him wherever he foes. She's wearing a peach pant suit that Jafar obviously liked. She stands up and walks to the kitchen to discuss getting a lunch basket for her and Jafar. She then bounces up the stairs to the throne room to speak to her father. She knows her father will be happy that she's finally chosen a suitor. "Father! May I speak with you?"

"Of course, my dear. Come and sit here next to me. I'll speak with you later, Jafar." The Sultan says to his royal vizier.

"Actually father, Jafar can stay. There's no reason that he can't hear what I'm about to say. In fact, this pertains to him anyway. I have chosen a suitor." Jasmine says seriously.

"That is excellent news, but who have you chosen? There haven't been any princes around recently." The Sultan seems confused.

"The person I have chosen is in this room right now since none of the princes were to my liking. He has been very sweet to me recently." Jasmine's tone is firm.

"Jafar! He's too old for you, daughter. You should pick someone younger who can be a companion for you. It is important for you to have support." The Sultan is shocked.

"He does support me, father, and more importantly, for me, I know he loves me! All the princes who have come seeking my hand have only wanted the power and the money! I know he would never hurt me. We're having lunch in the garden together. Please, be supportive." Jasmine pleads with her father. She wants this to be successful. She also doesn't want Jafar to feel as if he's not cared for of wanted. She can see how this is affecting him. Her father's words are hurting him, she can tell. Jasmine walks over and holds Jafar's hand.

"Your Highness, I assure you I want nothing but the very best for your daughter. She chose me and I will admit that I've cared for your daughter for many years, but she and I do care for each other. Let us at least try. I have nothing but her best interests at heart." Jafar assures the Sultan.

The Sultan stalks towards Jafar with a determined look on his face. "I will let you try, but if you hurt her I swear the consequences will be ugly. I hope, for your sake Jafar, that you are exactly what my daughter is looking for."

"Thank you, father. Thank you for your confidence. You won't regret it." Jasmine bends over and hugs and kisses her father. She doesn't want her father to feel as if he's being left behind. "I will always love you father, but it's time for me to live my own life. Jafar is a good option in comparison to some of the princes who have come to woo me. Please give me some credit to know what I want for my life. I only want the same kind of relationship you had with mother. I know how special mother was to you and I want to be that special for a man and if that man is Jafar who am I to question that?"

"You are your mother's daughter for certain, my dear. You are a modern woman with modern ideas. Go and enjoy your lunch. I trust both of you." The Sultan says seriously with tears in his eyes.


	3. Romantic Picnic

Jasmine smiles brightly and keeps a hold of Jafar's hand as she pulls him from the room. "Let's go before he changes his mind. He took that better than I thought he might."

"He thinks I'm too old for you, Jasmine, and I have to admit that he may be right, but you're not about to give up on me and I care enough to give this a try." Jafar's voice sounds heavy. He knew the Sultan's reactions would be at least this bad.

Jasmine brings Jafar down to the kitchen to pick up their lunch basket before they go out to the back garden. "Don't worry about father now, Jafar. Come and have some lunch. I had the kitchen staff pack your favourite things." Jasmine spreads the blanket out on the lawn and pats the spot next to her.

"That's sweet of you. It's unnecessary, but very sweet. I'm just happy I get to spend this time with you." Jafar slowly sits down on the blanket next to Jasmine. His knees slightly protest the movement. He leans back against the tree and sighs. It's rare for him to get to relax like this.

Jasmine unpacks all the goodies from the basket and passes a plateful to Jafar. She fills her own plate and leans on the tree next to Jafar. She watches him carefully as he begins to eat. He is an elegant, refined man and Jasmine loves to watch his long, slender fingers move. Jasmine eats her lunch, including several yummy salads, in small bites. She knows Jafar is watching her as she is watching him. She has never seen Jafar this relaxed and she finds she quite likes this side of him. She leans her head on his chest. This only works because Jafar is so much taller than the petite princess. Jafar looks down on the head of dark hair and smiles. He can't believe he's getting this chance. He even got Iago to disappear for the afternoon. He wants to tell Jasmine how beautiful he thinks she is, but he's not sure if it's too soon. He watches her pop a green grape into her mouth. He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. Jasmine is stunningly beautiful and Jafar is finding it hard to breath. He slowly opens his eyes and digs into some of the couscous salad that he likes very much. When he looks down at Jasmine she's looking up at him. "Are you alright, Jafar? You look a little flushed."

"I'm fine. I'm just a little warm. Not to worry." Jafar sets his plate on his lap and reaches up to gently touch Jasmine's face.

Jasmine sits up on her knees and leans forward. She softly kisses Jafar. She wants to test the waters with Jafar. She smiles as she pulls away from the kiss.

"That was very bold Jasmine. I'm not sure how happy your father would be with that, but I know I liked it." Jafar smirks at Jasmine.

"I thought we weren't going to talk about my father anymore today. We are going to concentrate on us and not worry about father. Just relax Jafar." Jasmine says teasingly.

Jafar sighs heavily. He's finding it rather difficult to relax around Jasmine right now. She's more confident in herself than he is in himself. The confidence makes him more nervous. He'd never admit that to anyone however. Jafar is eating more at lunch than he has over the last few days.

Jasmine watches Jafar as he relaxes. She loves to see him this way. He always looks so tense when he's in his office. He's always so busy. "I think we should consider moving this inside. It's getting warm out here."

Jafar was just thinking the same thing. Wearing black makes this part of the day particularly uncomfortable for him. He usually takes a siesta in the late afternoon.


	4. Napping Together

Jafar helps Jasmine pack up the lunch and walk into the palace to the conservatory. It's cooler in here, but the sunshine is still visible. "This is lovely. I don't ever remember being in here before."

Jasmine spreads the blanket out on the ground and waits for Jafar to sit down. She yawns as she sits down and Jafar notices.

"Are you alright, princess? It is siesta time after all. Do you want to return to your room for a nap? I wouldn't mind if you did." Jafar says gently.

"I don't want to leave you. Why don't I get the pillows and light blanket from the settee and we can have our siesta here." Jasmine suggests casually for such a step.

"That sounds wonderful." Jafar sounds tired as usual. He never sleeps enough. There aren't enough hours in his day.

"I will go get the pillows and blanket. You get comfy." Jasmine says sweetly.

As Jasmine walks away Jafar slips his shoes off first. He hates when his feet are hot, but no one has seen his bare feet in a long time either. Just as Jasmine comes back Jafar is just about to take off his hat. "You look so relaxed in your bare feet." Jasmine says with a smile on her face. Her arms are full with the pillows and blanket. "Why is your beard curly? I've always wanted to know."

"It just went that way when it grew in. I decided to grow a beard and when it got to a certain length it just began to curl and I never wanted to keep it short." Jafar says setting his hat aside and reaches for the clasp on his cloak.

Jasmine steps closer to Jafar and says, "Let me. That looks awkward." She carefully unclasps the cloak and pulls it from Jafar's shoulders. He looks smaller and less intimidating without his cloak on. She steps out of her shoes displaying her bare feet. "You seem so tense. You need to relax more." Jasmine hugs Jafar.

"I know I do. Maybe with you in my life I will learn to relax more. I'm not a person who relaxes naturally. I usually need someone else's help to get to relax. I drink a lot of tea to calm down. My job is stressful and so I find some way of trying to relax before I try to get some sleep." Jafar explains to Jasmine.

"I hope that you'll be able to sleep, with me next to you, more peacefully. You seem more relaxed today than I've ever seen." Jasmine says gently. She sits down on the blanket from the picnic and pulls the light blanket over her knees. She pats the spot next to her and says, "Come and join me."

Jafar sinks onto the blanket next to Jasmine and pulls the light blanket up around him. Jasmine shimmies closer to Jafar trying not to frighten him. Jafar sighs as he begins to lie down. Jafar can feel himself relax and Jasmine curls into his arms. She pulls the blanket up around herself and Jafar. She is supposed to be using her pillow, but Jafar is holding her too tight to allow her to sleep on her own pillow. In the back of Jafar's mind is the thought that they better not get caught like this or it could be the shortest courtship ever, ending in his execution.


End file.
